F1 News, Reports and Race Results

Gasly: 'It will be really crucial to nail the start'

Toro Rosso's Pierre Gasly reckons the long run down to the first chicane after the start will set-up his chances of a good result in Sunday's Italian Grand Prix.

The Frenchman put in an impressive performance in qualifying, making it through to Q3 before securing the ninth fastest lap in the top-ten shootout, a result he wasn't expecting before the Saturday afternoon session got underway.

"Today was unbelievable, we didn’t know if we would get through to Q2 before qualifying, and then we made it to Q3!" said Gasly.

"It’s an amazing feeling to be starting in P9, everything went super well during qualifying, I managed to get a good gap and slipstream and put one of my best laps in for the season.

"I think this was clearly the best result we could have achieved in Qualifying, and it’s fantastic to have done it at Toro Rosso’s home race."

Gasly said his Friday free practice sessions had not been satisfactory, but overnight changes to his STR13 proved beneficial.

"I didn’t feel so great with the car yesterday, but we made some good progress overnight and now I feel much better with it," he said.

"Today was half of the job done and now we need to finish the other half tomorrow.

"It’s a really long way from the grid to Turn 1 so it will be crucial to really nail the start, then after that just try to be at the right place at the right time because it’s going to be tight.

"When you start further up the grid it’s a bit less risky, so I’ll try to put my car in the right place to keep it clean, then push as much as possible."

Gallery: The beautiful wives and girlfriends of F1 drivers

Keep up to date with all the F1 news via Facebook and Twitter

Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.

Recent Posts

McLaren to review Sunday's fateful pit stop timing

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has insisted that the squad has no regrets about its…

4 mins ago

Williams' Boutsen hoists the mainsail in Adelaide

On this day in 1989, Williams' Thierry Boutsen secured his second F1 win when he…

1 hour ago

Horner: Max 'answered critics' with epic Sao Paulo GP drive

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner hailed Max Verstappen’s sensational Sao Paulo Grand Prix victory…

2 hours ago

Sainz left puzzled by double crash drama in rainy São Paulo

Carlos Sainz was left scratching his head after a disastrous Sunday at the Sao Paulo…

3 hours ago

Alonso pushed through agonizing pain to complete Sao Paulo GP

Fernando Alonso braved both physical agony and mechanical challenges in the Sao Paulo Grand Prix,…

4 hours ago

Alpine double-podium in Brazil could deliver $30 million windfall

Alpine’s remarkable double podium at the São Paulo Grand Prix with Esteban Ocon and Pierre…

19 hours ago